ATBECHDEDKESFRGBGRITLILUNLSEMCPTIESILTLVFIRO....................................RDIM360 (Ver 1.5 21 Nov 2005) - 1100000/00834950EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATIONA319980513EP97116357.119970919enenen721640 19960926US19980513199820199804081998156 6H 01M 8/24 A 6H 01M 8/12 B 6B 01D 53/32 B 6C 03C 10/00 B 6C 04B 35/20 B 6C 04B 35/443 BdeFlacher Festelektrolyt-Brennstoffzellenstapel mit Polarisationselektroden und versetzten Dichtungen, als Sauerstoffpumpe arbeitendenPlanar solid electrolyte cell stack working as oxygen pump, with offset seals and biasing electrodesfrBatterie de piles à combustible à électrolyte solide, avec garnitures d'étanchéité décalées et électrodes de polarisation, opérant comme pompe à oxygène7A 7B AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.0021577552 406 V7201 Hamilton BoulevardAllentown, PA 18195-1501USAdler, Stuart1723 S. 1800E.Salt Lake City, UT 84108USCutler, Raymond Ashton1574 South 1175 EastBountiful, Utah 84010USHenderson, Brett Tamatea2022 Imperial StreetSalt Lake City, UT 84105USLudlow, Jimmy1925 E. 1700S.Salt Lake City, UT 84108USRichards, Robin Edward1350 Michael WayLansdale, PA 19446GBTaylor, Dale M.1175 Castlecreek CircleSalt Lake City, UT 84117USWilson, Merrill Anderson3528 West 7260 SouthWest Jordan, UT 84084USSchwabe - Sandmair - Marx00100951Stuntzstrasse 1681677 MünchenDEATBECHDEDKESFIFRGBGRIEITLILUMCNLPTSEALLTLVROSI19980513199820

An electrochemical device for separating oxygen from an oxygen-containing gas comprises a plurality of planar ion-conductive solid electrolyte plates and electrically-conductive gas-impermeable interconnects assembled in a multi-cell stack. Electrically-conductive anode and cathode material is applied to opposite sides of each electrolyte plate. A gas-tight anode seal is bonded between the anode side of each electrolyte plate and the anode side of the adjacent interconnect. A biasing electrode, applied to the anode side of each electrolyte plate between the anode seal and the edge of the anode, eliminates anode seal failure by minimizing the electrical potential across the seal. The seal potential is maintained below about 40 mV and preferably below about 25 mV. A gas-tight seal is applied between the cathode sides of each electrolyte plate and the adjacent interconnect such that the anode and cathode seals are radially offset on opposite sides of the plate. The combination of biasing electrodes and offset seals is particularly effective in eliminating anode seal failure.